Some guests riding the Jungle Cruise attraction at Walt Disney World were forced to evacuate the attraction after a malfunction caused a boat to sink into the water, prompting a viral reaction from social media. Now Disney has responded to the incident, telling ComicBook.com that they immediately engaged the Reedy Creek Fire Department to respond to the incident. Photos and videos taken at the park show response teams evacuating the vessels, helping guests maneuver onto the ride’s river banks and escorting them safely back onto the park.
Videos by ComicBook.com
According to a rep from Disney, the incident occurred when the boat took on some water. Everyone made it out of the boat safely, and Disney Parks employees worked with the individual guests in an effort to help them enjoy their stay at the parks despite the incident.
Jungle Cruise at Walt Disney World has since reopened.
The attraction is one of the oldest rides in Disney Parks and has since earned its own cult following for the boat skipper’s jokes told to guests during the trip.
It is also being adapted for a big screen movie of the same name; Jungle Cruise is set to star Emily Blunt and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a pair of adventurers searching for treasure, and the movie will release in theaters on July 24th.
The situation didn’t result in any serious injuries, and photos and video have emerged showing how much water the boat took on before it began sinking. Others show emergency responders aiding passengers in their exits. It’s not clear just what Disney did to make it up to these park guests — while some of them only had to deal with wet shoes, others were completely soaked in their unloading process.
It’s unclear if Jungle Cruise is going to require major repairs or if this sinking is just an isolated incident, but Disney has made it clear that the ride is operational and that guests should not be afraid of a repeat incident occurring while on the attraction.
Jungle Cruise was among the very first attractions at Disneyland and opened alongside the park in 1955. Situated in Adventureland, it has only seen minor improvements over its lifespan and has not received any major overhauls.
When Walt Disney World opened in 1971, a similar version of Jungle Cruise was included as part of Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom park. The attractions are known for their smooth rides and humorous jokes, offering parents and kids a refreshing and relaxing break amid the hustle and chaos of the theme park.
Jungle Cruise is currently in operation at Disneyland in Anaheim, Walt Disney World in Orlando, Tokyo Disneyland, and Hong Kong Disneyland.
Cover photo by Don Kelsen/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
